11.30.2008

MWPRInsight: Lawyer to AP: Burress expects plea Monday - Yahoo! News

The Playbook Commentary:

Ok, first and foremost, I am thankful that he did not kill himself. But, are you serious? Can this really be happening? How do you shoot yourself? Unless an intruder has just broken in the house WHY do you have a gun near you? This is definitely a "what was he thinking" situation.

However, thanks to Tiki Barber, after just watching him on Football Night in America, let me give a different perspective. Burress and other players come from an environment where having a gun is the norm in order to protect oneself, something that many of us cannot relate to. And, before we begin to judge, we need to first place ourselves in their shoes.

So, let me twist things right here and point the finger back towards the NFL. Here again, we have a situation where the NFL, the sports agents, etc. in my opinion have fumbled the ball. Although, personal responsibility is necessary, expected and important, those who represent and benefit from the talents/skills of these athletes should be more attentive and deliberate in their management of players that they KNOW need a little more "coaching", either due to their background or personnel/personal history.

Now, Burress probably will say, I am a grown "A" man and I don't need constant supervision or need to tell you if I got a gun. Now, although he is a grown man, he is not his OWN man....not while he represents the NFL and plays for an organization which is currently the NY Giants. As long as he gets the multi-million dollar deals he is currently getting, YOU, Mr. Burress, represent those two brands. And, because of that, have a responsibility to them first and you second. I believe this is where the players are missing the mark. And, where they are being given too much rope....a level of expectations is discussed, but very loosely enforced. And, if enforced, it is not enforced fairly across the board.

Not all situations should be thrown in the same boat....consequences should be based on the actions and the number of incidents...period. Not, based on the person's performance, celebrity status, "hook ups", etc.

I throw that out there, because now I am curious to see how the NFL handles this one. What will happen to Burress because of this? And, will it be fair?

Lawyer to AP: Burress expects plea Monday
By HOWARD FENDRICH, AP Sports Writer







LANDOVER, Md. – Plaxico Burress plans to turn himself in to police Monday morning in New York City and plead not guilty to criminal possession of a weapon, his lawyer said.

Benjamin Brafman wrote in an e-mail to The Associated Press on Sunday that he was advised the New York Giants' star receiver will be charged after accidentally shooting himself in the right thigh.

"I do not expect that Mr. Burress will make a statement," Brafman wrote.

He met with Burress for about an hour Sunday at the player's home in New Jersey.

"I would ask that his fans, the Giants and the media withhold judgment in this matter until all of the facts have been disclosed," Brafman wrote to the AP.

Brafman is a well-known criminal lawyer who has defended mobsters and other high-profile figures, including hip-hop impresario Sean "Diddy" Combs on a bribery and gun possession charge in 2001.
Burress shot himself at a Manhattan nightclub Friday night and was released from a hospital early Saturday, the Giants said.

"As far as we know, he's going to be OK," general manager Jerry Reese said before the Super Bowl champions' game Sunday at the Washington Redskins.

Before the shooting, Burress already had been ruled out of the game because of an unrelated leg injury.

New York police and NFL security are investigating what happened Friday. Giants linebacker Antonio

Pierce was interviewed by NFL security at the team's hotel Saturday, Reese said.

Pierce — who started against Washington — reportedly was present for the latest dramatic turn in a tumultuous season of fines and suspension for Burress.

"Antonio is working on trying to beat the Redskins right now," Reese said before kickoff. "That's where his focus is and where it should be right now."

Neither Reese nor Giants president and CEO John Mara would say what Burress' status with the team might be going forward.

"I want to wait until we find out all the facts and circumstances before we make any determination," Mara said. "I don't know what happened there, and until we find out exactly what happened, I'm not going to make any comment or make any decision about what his future is."

Reese and Mara said they hadn't spoken to Burress, who hurt his hamstring two weeks ago and was going to miss the game against the Redskins because of that injury.

"I reached out to him," Reese said. "I did not get a return phone call."

Mara repeatedly said the Giants would cooperate with the police and the NFL in their investigations.
Asked if he knows what the scope of those inquiries are, Mara said: "I do not know, no. I guess the circumstances of how he got shot, whose gun it was. There are a lot of questions like that that are still unanswered."

Burress caught the go-ahead touchdown pass in the Giants' Super Bowl victory against the New England Patriots in February, following a regular season in which he scored a career-high 12 TDs. He was rewarded with a $35 million, five-year contract, only hours before the current season.

But his consecutive-games streak with at least one catch ended at 115 last week against Arizona, after he aggravated his hamstring injury during the first series and did not return.

Burress has 35 catches for 454 yards and four touchdowns while constantly drawing double coverage this season.

Off the field, he was suspended for a game against Seattle in October and fined $117,500 for missing a team meeting and failing to notify the Giants of his absence. He said he had a family emergency.

Burress also was fined $45,000 by the NFL for his conduct during a game against San Francisco in which he abused an official and tossed a ball into the stands.


Lawyer to AP: Burress expects plea Monday - Yahoo! News

11.18.2008

MWPRInsight response to NY Times: When it counts qualifications trump race

The below comment was sent to a fellow LinkedIn member who expressed agreement in what the NY Times writer stated in the piece, "When it counts qualifications trump race". I felt it important to share with my blog readers what I expressed to him. And, I welcome your comments as well to me on this subject.

MWPRInsight Comment:

Unfortunately, I will have to respectfully disagree with your opinion and even that of the NY Times writer. The choosing of the first African American President has not changed a reality that has existed before and since Jackie Robinson entered MLB. And, in stating that the hiring of African Americans is based on skills trumps race because one is looking to positively affect the bottom-line borders on the notion that we are only good to have around as long as we help make you a profit. That strikes a deep cord.

That opinion unfortunatly IS highly visible in sports. The make up on the field/court looks one way, but the make up on the sideline, boardroom, scouting arenas, extend partners, etc. is something totally different. African Americans are accepted in limited and controlled environments...on the field they are seen only for their skills and capabilities. But, let an African American who has the skills and capabilities to manage, identify talent or run an organization come along...that same philosophy is not applied.

As an African American, I am truly proud of what happened on November 4th. But, do be clear, electing Barack Obama does not, by any stretch mean that racism is dead. Opportunities still elude us and will continue to do so until we are all deeply/sincerely honest that it has controlled our actions and decision making through to today.